
MK Muthu, M Karunanidhi's eldest son and Tamil Nadu CM Stalin's brother, passes away
MK Muthu, the brother of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, was born to Karunanidhi's first wife, Padmavathi.
Sharing the news, MK Stalin wrote on X that his brother's passing struck him like a 'thunderbolt'.
'The news of the passing of my beloved elder brother, MK Muthu, the eldest child of the Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar family, struck me like a thunderbolt this morning. The sorrow of losing my dear brother, who showed me affection equivalent to that of a mother and father, torments me,' Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin wrote on X.
'Our father, Muthuvelar, named him MK Muthu in his memory, as decided by Leader Kalaignar. Like Leader Kalaignar, Brother Muthu began serving the Dravidian movement through dramas from his youth,' he wrote.
MK Stalin said that Muthu had a unique style in acting, dialogue delivery, and body language. 'Due to such talent and enthusiasm, he entered the film industry in 1970. In his very first film, he played a dual role'.
'Through films like Pillaiyo Pillai, Pookkari, Samayalkaran, and Anaiya Vilakku, Brother MK Muthu permanently settled in the hearts of Tamil Nadu's audiences,' Stalin said in his post.
Stalin said MK Muthu possessed a rare distinction that many actors did not have, adding that he had the ability to sing songs melodiously in his own voice.
Also Read: Legacy of Karunanidhi and the future of DMK
"Songs like "Nagur Andava, who resides in a good heart" and "I have a lot of relatives" remain unforgettable to many even today," Stalin said.
'He always showed affection toward me, considered my growth as his own, and constantly encouraged me. Whenever I went to see him, he made it a habit to share old memories with affection. Though he has passed away due to old age, Brother MK Muthu will live forever in our hearts through his love, in the hearts of people through his art and songs. I offer my tribute with heartfelt love to my dear brother,' he added.
'The news of the passing of my beloved elder brother, M K Muthu, the eldest child of the Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar family, struck me like a thunderbolt this morning. The sorrow of losing my dear brother, who showed me affection equivalent to that of a mother and father, torments me.'
'Our father, Muthuvelar, named him M K Muthu in his memory, as decided by Leader Kalaignar. Like Kalaignar, Brother Muthu began serving the Dravidian movement through dramas from his youth.'
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Time of India
16 hours ago
- Time of India
Film on Kittel: Techie's cinematic tribute to author of first Kannada-English dictionary
Bengaluru: Long before modern digital tools and standardised linguistic references, a remarkable milestone in the history of the Kannada language was quietly achieved in the late 19th century. Perhaps no other Dravidian languages found a lexicographer then, but in Kannada, a comprehensive Kannada-English dictionary was published way back in 1894 by German missionary Ferdinand Kittel, paving the way for future studies in Kannada linguistics. While Kittel and his works have taken a backseat over the last 130 years, a Mysuru-based techie-turned-filmmaker, Prashant Pandit, has brought back the memories of Kittel in his latest non-fiction and period film, The Word and the Teacher (Das Wort und Der Lehrer), recollecting the life and works of Kittel both in Germany and Karnataka. The film will be screened at Bangalore International Centre (BIC), Domlur, from 11am to 1pm on July 27. Indian languages always fascinated Pandit, who worked at Hewlett-Packard (HP). His interest in the evolution of languages and scripts made him dive deep into the linguistic world, and that was when he came across Kittel's work. "From being an outsider to the language to publishing the first comprehensive dictionary comprising prominent dialects, Kittel did remarkable work in Kannada. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Now it is a lot easier to pick up any language. But in the 1870s, barring some level of conversational Kannada, it was humanly impossible for an outsider to master the language and bring out a dictionary of 70,000 words! I was curious to know how Kittel learnt Kannada so clearly and took up the project," Pandit recollected his journey, which started in 2020. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Planning to make a 15–20-minute film on Kittel initially, Pandit began scouting for details from Mangaluru, Madikeri, Dharwad, Ooty, and Germany. But his extensive research during the Covid-19 pandemic opened several unexpected details about Kittel's life, works, and contributions to Kannada language and literature. "Then I was convinced that a short film format would not do justice to the man who devoted his entire life to Kannada, and decided to produce a full feature-length film, tracing his journey from Resterhafe on the northwestern coast of Germany to Canara (Karnataka), along with a few of my friends who helped me with the film. " The 80-minute, tri-lingual period film, shot in various locations where Kittel lived and worked both in south India and Germany, has adopted the first-person narration technique. "Documentaries usually have anecdotal references, interviews, or soundbites along with visuals. But our film does not feature any of these, and Kittel himself narrates his life and works based on his own letters to his kids and superiors throughout the film. I wanted it to be realistic, authentic, and there should not be any room for fictional fantasies. We have included archival photographs from the 19th century, folk songs, and poems penned and translated by Kittel," Pandit explained. Being a developer, Pandit, during his research visits to Mangaluru and other places, discovered that Kittel used unique fonts in all the typefaces of Kannada. "All of these were designed and cast in Europe and brought to India. Aesthetically, they were eye-catching and pleasing for readers. Then it struck me, what if we develop the same into modern-day digital fonts as part of Indic computing. Subsequently, I brought out these unique digital fonts based on Kittel's typefaces and named it 'Karnataka F Kittel font' after him. This Unicode font is free of charge and available on the open-source platform," Pandit explained. "Barring a few write-ups and a few doctoral theses, there are not many details available about his work and life here. Out of his 71 years, Kittel spent about 40-45 years in Karnataka. After his missionary work, when Kittel was sent back, the Britishers recalled him. In fact, his dictionary was the first-ever crowd-funded project as it was funded by the Mysore kings, British officers, and other philanthropists. From the day he landed in Karnataka till the publication, he literally noted down every word in multiple dialects of south, north, and coastal Karnataka. Some of the words even have descriptions spanning 2-3 pages!" Pandit said.


Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
When MGR ‘clapped' for M K Muthu
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, goes the old saw. But in the case of M K Muthu, it became the obvious but not sole reason for his fall in the Tamil film industry. This despite debuting in a film scripted by the redoubtable pen of his father M Karunanidhi . Muthu's debut film 'Pillaiyo Pillai' in 1972 had script, screenplay and dialogue by Karunanidhi and was directed by veteran filmmaker duo Krishnan-Panju, who made 'Parasakthi', the film that cemented Karunanidhi's place as a screen writer. It was a hit and ran for more than hundred days in theatres. Around this time, Murasoli Maran, nephew of Karunanidhi, decided not to produce any more films under his banner Mekala Pictures. This despite the success of its last venture, MGR starrer 'Engal Thangam' (1970). This was also when MGR gradually started to distance himself from Karunanidhi. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai At that point, Karunanidhi brought Muthu to tinsel town. The production house Anjugam Pictures was founded to launch Muthu. Though there were misunderstandings between Karunanidhi and MGR, they tried not to show it in public. That is why MGR had inaugurated the shooting of 'Pillaiyo Pillai' wielding the clapperboard. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Many years later, the film distribution of 'Pillaiyo Pillai' was included in the investigation by Sarkaria Commission. It was alleged the distributors were compelled to buy the film by the then DMK govt. Muthu's second film 'Pookkari' was also scripted by Karunanidhi. Though Muthu also acted in the films written by others, it was in the scripts of Karunanidhi that he got memorable roles. In the first two films, from his hairstyle, body language to sartorial choices, Muthu imitated MGR. Many of film critics consider this lack of originality led to Muthu's downfall. Muthu was also a singer He had a light music troupe, which was famous for the song 'Tamilar ellaam maanathodu thalai nimirnthu nirpatharku yaar kaaranam', an anthem for Periyarist organisations. The moniker 'Nadippisai Thilagam' given to Muthu in his third film 'Samayalkaran' (1974) also added fuel to the talk that Muthu was pitted against MGR who was called 'Makkal Thilagam'. Though many considered Muthu as a rival to MGR, they both shared a bonding beyond politics and films. Muthu used to call MGR 'periyappa'. Muthu's time in tinsel twon ended with a cameo in 'Nyaya Tharasu' (1989) written by Karunanidhi.


News18
3 days ago
- News18
Late CM Karunanidhi's eldest son dies, TN CM bereaved
Chennai, Jul 19 (PTI) Late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunandhi's eldest son, M K Muthu, who was an actor and playback singer, died on Saturday due to age-related ailments, his family said. This 77-year-old actor is the elder brother of Chief Minister M K Stalin. His MP sister Kanimozhi, after hearing the sad news while attending an event in Madurai, rushed back to the city to pay her last respects. Stalin and his Deputy Chief Minister son Udhayanidhi rushed to Muthu's residence here to pay their respects to Muthu, born in 1948, who made a mark in the Tamil film industry. Informing about the demise of Muthu due to old age, the state government said his body will be kept at the Gopalapuram residence of late Karunanidhi for the public to pay their respects. His last rites will be performed this evening, the release said. 'The news that the eldest son of Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) family, my dear brother M K Muthu, passed away struck me like a thunderbolt this morning. The grief of losing my beloved brother, who showed me affection on par with my mother and father, torments me," Stalin said. Karunanidhi named him Muthu in memory of his father Muthuvel. 'Like Kalaignar, brother Muthu contributed to the Dravidian movement through plays from his youth. He had his own unique style in acting, dialogue delivery, and body language. Due to such energy and enthusiasm, he entered the film industry in 1970. He played a double role in his first film," the Chief Minister said in a post on the social media platform 'X'. Muthu is eternally remembered in the hearts of Tamil fans through the films: Pillaiyo Pillai, Pookari, Samayalakaran, and Anayavilakku, he said. 'He had a special quality that many actors do not have. He had the ability to sing songs in his own voice sweetly. The song 'Nalla Manathil Kudiyirikkum Nagoor Andava' and the song 'Sonthakaaranga Enakku Romba Perunga' are songs that many people still cannot forget," he said. He was always affectionate towards him and always encouraged him, Stalin said and added though his brother was no more he would always live in people's hearts through art, songs, and music. PTI JSP ROH view comments First Published: July 19, 2025, 14:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.